Tag Archives: Voice Actor

On October 20, 1993, ten new inductees were added as Disney Legends in a special ceremony held at the Walt Disney Studios. The ten inductees included Card Walker; former President of the Walt Disney Company; Donn Tatum, senior executive; Clarence Nash, original voice actor of Donald Duck; Jimmy MacDonald, sound effects wizard and second voice actor for Mickey Mouse; Pinto Colvig, original voice actor for Goofy; actor Buddy Ebsen, who was best known for his role as George Russel in the Davy Crockett series; Irving Ludwig, film distributor who helped form the Buena Vista Distribution Company; matte artist Peter Ellenshaw; Harper Goff, Imagineer and artist; and Blaine Gibson, Imagineer and sculptor, best known for the Partners statue in the Disney Parks. The ceremony was presided over by Michael Eisner and Roy E. Disney, and of those honored, Tatum, Nash, MacDonald, Colvig, and Goff were honored posthumously.

“Today, the Walt Disney Company will celebrate, recognize and reward those who have contributed their creativity and imagination to the Disney heritage in the 2003 Disney Legends ceremony.”

On October 16, 2003, eleven members of Disney history were inducted as Disney Legends. Among those honored were comic publisher Al Taliaferro; Disney representative to New Zealand, Neil Beckett; actor Buddy Hackett; director Richard Fleischer; wife of Disney and supporter of the Disney Company, Edna Disney; advisor and trustee of the California Institute of the Arts, Harrison “Buzz” Price; former Vice President of Engineering, Design, and Production, Orlando Ferrante; composer and co-founder of Disneyland Records, Tutti Camarata; comic strip artist Floyd Gottfredson; voice actress for Cinderella, Ilene Woods; and last but not least, Lillian Disney, who performed many behind-the-scenes acts to keep the company, and her husband’s legacy, alive. Among the eleven honored, only five were alive at the time of the ceremony: Richard Fleischer, Harrison Price, Orlando Ferrante, Tutti Camarata, and Ilene Woods.

“The Spiral—stands for imagination, the power of an idea. The Hand—holds the gifts of skill, discipline and craftsmanship. The Wand and the Star—represent magic: the spark that is ignited when imagination and skill combine to create a new dream.”

On August 19, 2011, the twelve newest Disney Legends were inducted at a special ceremony during the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. Among those honored were creator of the Muppets, Jim Henson; Disney merchandiser Bo Boyd; television show host Regis Philbin; entertainment entrepreneurs and original proprietors of the Disneyland Hotel Jack and Bonita Wrather; former Chairman of the Board for the Walt Disney Company, Ray Watson; star of the hit television series Zorro, Guy Williams; and the voice actresses for the Disney Princesses: Jodi Benson (Ariel); Linda Larkin (Jasmine); Paige O’Hara (Belle); Anika Noni Rose (Tiana); and Lea Salonga (singing voice for Jasmine and Mulan). Several were awarded posthumously, and those still living were in attendance to collect their statue and place their handprints on the special plaques that are placed in the Disney Legends Plaza.

May 29, 1986 – New Narration is Added to the Spaceship Earth Attraction

On May 29, 1986, a new script for the Spaceship Earth attraction was added, with narration performed by broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite. Cronkite’s narration would last until the attraction’s major rebuild in 1994. The attraction, at the time, took guests through a journey through how communication evolved, making Cronkite the perfect narrator for the subject matter. Jeremy Irons would supersede Cronkite in 1994, with Dame Just Dench following after another revamp in the attraction in 2007.

“Hopefully, no matter where you are or what your culture, you can see yourself in this.” – Director and Writer Pete Docter

On May 18, 2015, the 15th Pixar Animated Feature Inside Out premiered at the 68th Cannes Film Festival as an out-of-competition film. The film was met with much critical success, with many critics, including The Toronto Star’s Peter Howell, saying that it received “double to loudest applause of any other film at the festival.” Attending the festival were director and writer Pete Docter; John Lasseter; American voice actors Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, and Phyllis Smith; and French voice actors Charlotte Le Bon, Marilou Berry, Gilles Lellouche, and Pierre Niney. The film would premiere in North America a month later on June 19.

“Kingdom Hearts is an epic tale of adventure, heroism and, ultimately, the sacrifice of what is held dearest for the greater good.”

On May 14, 2002, the English version of the popular Japanese game Kingdom Hearts was announced through public release. Created through a partnership with Square Co., Ltd., and Disney Interactive, the 3D role playing game introduces players to the character Sora who, alongside Donald and Goody, set off on a mission to find their friends and protect the Disney Castle; this was also the first game where multiple Disney characters and their worlds co-existed in one platform. The English cast of the game included Haley Joel Osment as Sora, David Gallagher as Riku, and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi.

January 20, 1936 – Adriana Caselotti Records First Tracks for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

“Adriana happened to pick up an extension and, while listening to her father’s conversation, chimed in, ‘Listen to me – wouldn’t my voice do?’ Indeed it did, and, over the next year, her voice was tested, songs were recorded, and the Disney animators studied her gestures for inspiration.”

On January 20, 1936, 18-year-old Adriana Caselotti recorded her first tracks as the title character in what would become the animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Caselotti was chosen out of over 150 girls that auditioned for the part, as Walt Disney believed she sounded like a fourteen-year-old girl, which is exactly what he needed. Caselotti was paid $20 a day to play Snow White, earning $970 for her time overall, equivalent to almost $17,000 today.